Preserving, promoting traditional culture of Kho Mu ethnic group

In the context of modern cultural interference, the Kho Mu ethnic people in Cang On hamlet, Muong Va commune, Sop Cop district still preserve and promote traditional values through their costumes, folk songs, musical instruments, festivals and beliefs.

 The ‘Pieu’ scarf of Kho Mu women in Cang On hamlet has its own characteristics.

Cang On currently has 75 households, all from the Kho Mu ethnic group. Every year, the hamlet disseminates the Party's directives and resolutions, and the State's policies and laws on preserving ethnic cultural identities in meetings of the hamlet as well as mass organisations so that people understand and have a sense of preserving their culture. At the same time, the hamlet also pays attention to promoting the role of the elders, hamlet heads, reputable people, and artisans to teach younger generations how to preserve the traditional beauty of the ethnic group through costumes, folk songs, cuisine, the ‘xen ban’ festival in March and the sweet potato and taro festival in December every year.

Currently, the Kho Mu ethnic people in Cang On hamlet still keep their traditional costumes, with ‘pieu’ scarves, ‘com’ shirts, black skirts, belts, headscarves, ‘xa cap’ (footwrap), and chatelaine. Especially the headscarf of the Kho Mu people has its own unique features, because of its colours, brilliant patterns. The technique of expressing patterns on the ‘pieu’ scarf is highly figurative. In addition, local people still keep the sweet potato and taro festival held at the end of a year. This is considered the biggest festival in a year of the Kho Mu people, carrying a profound spiritual and religious meaning.

The festival takes place in each family, with the participation of relatives and locals. Offerings include a boiled chicken, boiled sweet potatoes and taros and fruits, with a wish to invite ancestors to enjoy and bless the family with good luck, favourable weather, and a good harvest next year. The festival is still preserved today, creating a unique and rich identity, carrying profound spiritual beliefs, and featuring the solidarity in the community, families, and clans.

The ‘Au eo’ dance is also one of the unique spiritual features, symbolising the strength of the community, the sympathy between people, and between people and the nature, closely related to the Kho Mu people's belief in praying for good harvests and the desire for love between couples. ‘Au eo’ is a hip-waving, waist-waving dance, modeled after daily labour movements and gestures such as harvesting rice, planting corn, chasing birds, picking vegetables, and scooping shrimp. Musical instruments serving the dance are mainly made of bamboo such as flutes, drums, gongs and cymbals. Cang On hamlet has established a performing team with 10 members. The team regularly practices and performs to serve people in the hamlet and commune, and participates in exchanges at competitions and performances. In addition, women in the hamlet also teach the ‘Au eo’ dance and folk songs to teenagers and children to preserve the ethnic group's dances and songs.

Women in Cang On hamlet, Muong Va commune sew and embroider ‘pieu’ scarves and traditional costumes.

By preserving traditional culture in many ways, along with the awareness of preserving the ethnic cultural identity of each individual, family, and clan, the good cultural straits of the Kho Mu people are believed to continue to be preserved and live forever.

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